Posted on 08/31/2025 6:00:00 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
UK home secretary Yvette Cooper has announced a sharp drop in the number of small boat arrivals in August, hailing it as evidence Labour’s plan to “smash the gangs” is having an effect despite the number of irregular migrants reaching the UK running at record levels so far in 2025.
The number of small boats crossing the English Channel fell to 55 last month, down from 75 for the same period last year, the Home Office said on Monday. The figure was the lowest total since 2019 when it stood at 34.
Cooper, who is under pressure as protests over immigration and asylum seeker hotels have dominated headlines over the summer, will share the latest figures with MPs on Monday as they return to Westminster after recess.
She will say there has been a 40 per cent increase in “disruptions”, including arrests and seizure of financial assets, to immigration gangs in the past 12 months, including a large seizure of boats on the Bulgarian border in July and August.
UK interventions contributed to a decline in crossings from France in August although gangs have taken to loading more people on to each boat, increasing the risk of danger.
“Our actions to strengthen border security, increase returns and overhaul the broken asylum system are putting much stronger foundations in place so we can fix the chaos we inherited and end costly asylum hotels,” she will say.
The data is a rare piece of positive news for the Labour government on immigration which has become a flashpoint for unrest across the country and given the rightwing populist Reform UK party a lead in opinion polls.
In the first seven months of the year, small boat crossings were at a record level with opposition parties accusing Labour of losing control of the border...
(Excerpt) Read more at ft.com ...
Way too early to declare victory here. Plus, I would not trust the British government one bit on this.
Oh. As low as 2019 levels, huh? That’s reassuring. 🙄
Alex: I’ll go with Bull$hit for $1000.
They put GPS devices in the boats that led them to Gilligan’s Island. Then “No Cell Service.”
Let’s pray the younger Soros is cheap... that it’ll be town halls’ not street riots and ‘boats’ not flotillas
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